Business is Fcking Hard
The Business is Fcking Hard podcast invites business owners to share their stories with host, Trevor Koot. Stories of how they started, and the challenges and successes along the way. Stories of lessons that can be shared with others. And, most importantly, stories filled with uninhibited, unedited and unfiltered truth.
Episodes
48 episodes
Mike Kennedy
Trevor welcomes Mike Kennedy, a dynamic entrepreneur and founder of Green Analytics, to discuss his inspiring journey from a Christmas tree farm to leading innovative startups. In this episode, Mike shares insights into the challenges of scalin...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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55:32
Alexandra Sangster
Join Trevor for an inspiring conversation with Alexandra Sangster, the accidental entrepreneur who turned a university project into a thriving social enterprise. Discover Alexandra's journey from university student to founder. Sarjesa Tea is fu...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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48:27
Laura Koot
In this episode, Trevor sits down with his older sister, Laura Koot, for a conversation about her unique journey in journalism. From helping to launch the National Post in Canada to starting a newspaper in Abu Dhabi, Laura shares he...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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1:18:07
Tyler Boyd - BFH Highlights
In this episode of BFH highlights, Trevor Koot breaks down his conversation with Tyler Boyd. After losing everything to bad business decisions, Tyler dug himself out of the hole and founded Bowline Logistics. Trevor highl...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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10:19
Christine Buemann - BFH Highlights
In this episode of BFH Highlights, Trevor dives into his conversation with Christine Beumann! Christine Buemann built her business for freedom—only to find herself buried in burnout, expectations, and a version of success that wasn’...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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7:55
Jon Bennest
In this episode, Trevor Koot Chats with Jon Bennest, who shares his journey from working as a market research analyst in the real estate industry to becoming a successful business owner and partner. They discuss the challenges and strategies in...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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57:19
Ron Partlow
In this episode of Business Is Hard, Trevor sits down with Ron Partlow, former pro bodybuilder, coach, gym owner, and co-founder of West Coast Iron. Ron shares his journey from accidentally launching a coaching business i...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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58:28
Rex Farrand
What happens when a science teacher from Brooklyn ends up running a health tech startup in Vancouver? In this episode, Trevor sits down with Rex Farrand, co-founder and CEO of My HealthSpan—to talk about the wild, winding path from cla...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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51:51
Stephanie Ryan
“Human well” is what Stephanie Ryan and Trevor came up with in this episode to describe positive leadership in the business world. Stephanie knows that people come to work wanting to put their best foot forward, and she explains how a lea...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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49:33
Christine Buemann
Christine Buemann built her business for freedom—only to find herself buried in burnout, expectations, and a version of success that wasn’t hers. In this episode, she talks with Trevor about redefining what enough looks like, building ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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48:10
Brian Budd
In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, Trevor sits down with Brian Budd, a seasoned entrepreneur whose path has taken him from high-level software sales into the volatile world of capital markets and mining, and later into the healthcar...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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59:26
Bailey Parnell - BFH Highlights
Entrepreneurship isn’t always about having a business idea—it’s about recognizing a problem and stepping up to solve it. In this BFH Highlights episode, we dive into my conversation with Bailey Parnell, founder of Skills Camp and ...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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9:26
Tyler Boyd
In this powerful episode, Tyler Boyd shares his raw and deeply personal journey through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. From launching his first business at 12 years old, running an excavation company with over 100 employees, and...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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55:54
Anna Solnickova - BFH Highlights
Leaving a high-paying corporate job to start your own business is terrifying—but for Anna Solnickova, it was the best decision she ever made. In this BFH Highlights episode, we revisit my conversation with Anna, a fractional CFO who to...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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11:04
Alex Miller
Growing up amidst the wide-open fields of southern Saskatchewan, Alex Miller learned the tenets of hard work early on but soon realized that his future lay far from the farm. Alex's journey took an unexpected turn when he ventured into engineer...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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55:55
Sharad Khare - BFH Highlights
In this BFH Highlights episode, Trevor sits down with Sharad Khare, a creative entrepreneur who turned his passion for storytelling into a thriving business. Sharad shares how he navigated a major career pivot during the 2008 financial crisis, ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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10:01
Mike Rowlands
Mike Rowlands shares his journey from an "accidental entrepreneur" to a trailblazer in social purpose-driven business development. With wisdom earned through two decades of triumphs and challenges, Mike dives into why relationships are the foun...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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1:02:37
Trevor Koot
This is Business is Fcking Hard with special guest host, Jeff King (he insisted we say that). On this episode we are flipping the script. Jeff steps in to interview podcast host, Trevor Koot. Trevor shares his business journey from starting com...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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1:25:41
Teresa Grobecker - BFH Highlights
Dive into the inspiring journey of Teresa Grobecker, a trailblazing entrepreneur and innovator. Teresa shares how she turned a “placeholder hobby” into a thriving real estate brokerage while balancing family life and navigating the challenges o...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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9:49
Karri Green-Schuermans
Karri Green-Schuermans, co-owner of Vancouver’s iconic Chambar restaurant, joins us to reveal the gritty realities of the restaurant business. From the power of adaptability to the ripple effects of economic shifts, Karri shares how she’s kept ...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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57:53
Declan Edwards - BFH Highlights
In this episode of BFH Highlights, we revisit key lessons from Declan Edwards, founder of BU Happiness College. Declan shares his journey of building a purpose-driven business, including the pivotal decision to transition from a fitness busines...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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9:54
Jason Lindstrom
In this engaging conversation, Jason Lindstrom shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his early days of building community through a ski club at university to his experiences in launching and exiting multiple businesses. He emphasize...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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56:42
Emma May - BFH Highlights
In this episode of BFH Highlights (a recap of an earlier episode), Emma May, founder of SophieGrace, shares her inspiring journey from lawyer to fashion entrepreneur. Emma tells us how her frustration with workwear led to the birth of ...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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8:54
Hamish Knox
Hamish Knox’s entrepreneurial journey is rooted in resilience, adaptability, and a deep commitment to growth. Starting with a strong work ethic from his early days on a farm, Hamish found his way into sales and eventually bought a Sandler franc...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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54:10
Matt Pasut - BFH Highlights
In this BFH Highlights episode (a summary of the full episode), we dig into the gritty and honest journey of Matt Pasut, a seasoned entrepreneur who built his business from a basement startup to a thriving multi-company operation. Matt talks ab...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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9:03